I think the Grove offers a certain racing experience that tests three things:

1. The setup skills of the crew chief
2. The engine skills of the engine builder
3. The testicular fortitude of the driver

The history of the track is never in question. It is the "Ascot of the East" and nobody can deny that. Williams Grove is the track you "always wanted to win at since you were a kid" for many drivers, local and travelers.

Lincoln and the smaller tracks offer closer racing most of the time but the Grove is and always will be a speed palace and I love them equally.

Port Royal and Selinsgrove fans who have already started typing their response to the "speed palace" remark can tell it to the hand

I love the Grove, because when I hit the backstretch paking lot you can already feel the excitement in the air. The best of the best all show up at one place to duke it out on the dirt. The fans are great and the tail gateing is the best here. No other track in Pa has a tailgate party as big as the Groves every week. Where else can you show up 2or 3 hours early and not get bored waiting for the gates to open. Not only that you can almost hear the engines roar of heros past when all is quiet and the FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS are out. Just like Stew if the Grove is running I'm there .

Jeff Sweitzer II wrote:Bo Feathers said last year If sprint cars can run on the top wide open there why can't I

Cuz he's in a SOAP BOX DERBY car

Call them whatever you like,but they are getting better crowds and higher car counts than the sprint car shows at "almost" every track they run the "bigger" shows.Just go to Eldora for the "Kings Royal",then go for the "World 100".At least twice as many cars and spectators for the "World 100".I am a fan of both,and not bashing either,but the latemodels are more popular than the sprints at this time.

I'll agree with the others that have posted,a lot of the greatness for Williams Grove is the historical atmosphere,and that it is "The Grove".

Here are my observations as an 'outsider' who has only been there twice, but also just relocated here from western PA. In my two experiences, I have seen some great racing. Certainly, it can be said without a doubt, that the SPRINT car racing out here in the east is much, much, much more competitive than it is in Western PA. I'll be the first to admit, that I'm a huge SUPER Late Model fan and prior to seeing the SPRINT's run out here, I didn't have much time for Sprint Cars. Why you ask? Because there was no competition in western PA, you've got Rod George, Ed Lynch Jr., and Kevin Schaffer at Lernerville. Chances are one of those 3 are gonna win, and it's gonna be a runaway, freight train style of race. That's not the case out here though, it's much more competitive. The SPRINT car racing is much better, and the best shows I saw this summer were at Williams Grove. Nice atmosphere. Loved sitting on the pit bleachers on the backstretch (although it seemed a bit dangerous/not very well protected).

That being said, why doesn't anyone run SUPER late models on a weekly basis out this way??? This small block stuff just don't cut it. I mean WG is only running like 3 or 4 SUPER LM shows this year, and quite honestly, that will be the only times that I attend, because of the SUPER LM's.